An Original

•07•

As Damon pulled up to the Cullen house, he insisted on driving, a look of awe took over his features as he glanced at the house, "Now this...this is a house, holy shit," he mumbled, and I rolled my eyes as I climbed out of his car.

"Behave yourself, Salvatore," I glared at the young vampire as he climbed out of the car himself. Damon merely smirked at me as he walked around to throw a arm over my shoulders.

"Aw, come on, Iz, you know me. I'll be on my best behavior," he winked down at me, and I rolled my eyes once again.

"It's because I know you that I know you'll try to do something stupid," I huffed as I walked towards the front door.

Damon chuckled at my words, "I promise not to embarrass you in front of your little girlfriend," he teased.

"Shut up. Don't make me cut your dick off," I snarled as I glared at him once again. Damon grinned down at me.

"This is the second time today you've mentioned my dick. Is there something you want to tell me, Isabella?"

"I hate you," I said simply as I lifted my hand to knock on the door.

Damon put a hand over his chest as he gasped dramatically, "My my my, what a mean little Mikaelson," he teased with a playful smirk. I merely flipped him off as the front door opened, and there stood Alice with an amused grin on her face.

"Do you guys often fight like this?" Alice asked, her eyebrows lifting questioningly.

"I hate him," I said simply as I walked into the house. Damon chuckled as he followed closely after me.

"She loves me," he said as he smirked down at little Alice.

"I really don't," I rolled my eyes as I stepped into the living room, a small smile appearing on my face at the sight of most of the Cullen family hanging around obviously awaiting my arrival.

"Bella Bear!" Emmett grinned as he ran towards me and lifted me off the ground to give me a bear hug.

I chuckled as I patted his shoulder, "Hello, Emmett. I just saw you not even an hour ago," I smiled down at the bear of a man as he set me down.

"It felt like eternity," Emmett whined as he pretended to swoon dramatically. I laughed, shaking my head silently. I opened my mouth to say something, but before I could get anything out Jasper approached.

He flashed me a warm smile, "Bella, I was wondering if you'd like to take a walk with me," he said simply, he glanced at Damon, "Alone," he finished before looking at me once again.

I was confused at first, but decided it was no harm, and so I looked over at Damon, "Stay here and behave."

Damon pouted childishly and crossed his arms against his chest, "What am I supposed to do while you're gone?" He asked me.

"I don't know. Make new friends, eat Esme's delicious cooking, read a book, gain some maturity," I rolled my eyes, "I'll be back," I said before turning to look at Jasper. I gave him a nod of my head and he soon ran out of the house, and I followed quickly after him.

We didn't run very far out, he stepped as soon as we entered the tree line and I stopped beside him. He slowly began to walk, and I fell into step alongside him. He was silent for a moment, obviously lost in thought from the look on his face.

I cleared my throat, trying to get his attention, and he turned his head to look at me, "What is it you wanted to talk about, Jasper?" I questioned, lifting a single eyebrow.

"When you look at Rosalie, what do you feel?" He asked me, and I froze at the question. Where was this coming from? I was so confused, and yet Jasper never elaborated. He just continued to stare at me silently.

"Well...I guess...I don't know. I suppose I feel attracted to her, she is rather beautiful," I began as I glanced at Jasper before watching where I walked, "feel as if there is some invisible force pulling me to her at all times. Everything about her seems to draw me in, her glares, the way she carries herself. A part of me wants to get to know her, talk to her, and hope she feels the same way I do."

"And the other part of you?" Jasper questioned.

"I've never had a good track record when it came to love or relationships," I said softly as I ran a hand through my hair, "That last woman I was with...died. My brother had found me, and he never wants our family to be happy and so he took her away from me. It was my fault, really. I knew better. Niklaus loves us, I know he does, but his quest for power has made him ridiculously deranged. And he believes as his family it our job to help him. If we do not, he takes away everything we love or daggers us and stuffs us in coffins for as long as he sees fit.

"I don't want that again. I don't want to lose another person I've come to care for just because I refuse to help my brother with his crazy plans," I said as I looked down at the ground. Jasper was silent for a moment as he looked at me.

"So that is the reason you will not pursue Rosalie? Because of your brother?" He asked, and I gave a nod of my head. Jasper was silent for a while before speaking again, "I'm sorry, Bella, but that has to be the stupidest reason I've ever heard."

My head jerked up at his words and I turned my attention to him, glaring silently. He didn't give me a chance to speak because as soon as I opened my mouth, he was speaking again, "Rose feels that pull as well. She was trying to fight it, but it's growing stronger. Our species of vampires calls that the mate bond."

"Mates?"

"Yes, mates. Every vampire has a mate. Mine is Alice, Carlisle's is Esme's, and Edward's is Emmett's. Rosalie has been alone for quite some time, and she has finally found her mate in you," Jasper explained calmly as he watched me silently, probably trying the gage my reaction.

"I'm her mate?" I questioned idiotically as I pointed at myself. Jasper smiled in amusement at my words and actions, and he nodded his head.

"Yes, Bella. You are her mate. You can try all you want to fight the bond, but I can tell you it won't work. The harder you fight, the more intense it becomes until you can't fight any longer. It'll hurt you both if you continue to fight it."

I frowned deeply at the thought of causing Rosalie any sort of pain. I ran a hand through my hair once again as I stopped walking. I had to sort through all of this in my head. Jasper sighed as he stepped towards me and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Forget your brother for a moment, Bella. Just ask yourself what do you want? Do you finally want to know what happiness is? What love is? Open your heart, Isabella. Show Rosalie you want her too. Don't fight it anymore," he leaned down to kiss my cheek, "I'm sure you'll make the right choice," he said and with that, he had turned and ran off back towards the house.

I was left alone in the woods. Left to my own thoughts. My first thought was that some vampires apparently had mates. My second was that Rosalie and I were mates. I was Rosalie Hale's mate. That explained the strange pull I felt towards her. Why no matter how many times she glared at me, I couldn't bare to stay away. She was my mate. I had a mate. A shot at love, a chance of happiness.

But Klaus...he was the one person who could take all of it away from me. If he ever found out...

What do you want?

Jasper's words rang in my head, and I sighed as I ran a hand through my hair. What did I want?

I thought about it for a moment before I finally turned and took off running back towards the house. I made it there in record time, and as soon as I entered the house I made my way straight towards Rosalie who was leaning against the wall watching Emmett and Damon play some sort of video game.

Rosalie turned her attention towards me when she saw me approaching, and she quickly pushed herself off of the wall. She looked at me with a raised eyebrow, "What do you want, Mikaelson?" She asked me, that glare ever present on her face, but her eyes shined with curiosity and what I could only describe as hope.

"You," I said simply before I took a step forward and pressed my lips firmly against hers.